Indian student jailed for UK visa fraud

An Indian student, who submitted bogus university documents in a bid to illegally extend his stay in the UK, has been jailed for six months.

An Indian student, who submitted bogus university documents in a bid to illegally extend his stay in the UK, has been jailed for six months.

Sanket Thaker, 27, admitted to a charge that he attempted to obtain leave to remain in the country by deception when he appeared at the Warwick Crown Court.

Thaker had attended a UK Border Agency office in Solihull in the West Midlands on May 9 to try and extend his student visa.

The officer he spoke to was suspicious of two certificates, purporting to be from the University of Hertfordshire and the City of London College, which he produced to support his application.

Andy Byrne-Smith, from the UK Border Agency, said: "The poor print quality of the documents was a clear indication that they weren't the genuine article and enquiries with the university and the college confirmed the officer's suspicions."

Enquiries revealed that while Thaker had been enrolled at the two educational establishments he had been expelled from the University of Hertfordshire in December 2007 and was suspended from the City of London College in March this year.

When he was arrested at his home address on June 28 he admitted he had produced the offending documents on his own computer.

Byrne-Smith said: "This was a blatant and deliberate attempt to breach the UK's immigration controls. Thaker's intention was to remain in the UK for as long as possible and take employment opportunities away from those legally entitled to work."

His conviction "means he will get a longer stay in the UK, but not in the manner he was hoping."